Gedwey Istalri
by Eragon Byrnsie
Summary: It has been 400 years since the fall of Galbatorix. 400 years since Eragon and his companions left to rebuild the Riders. Hundreds have been sent to be trained by the Kingslayer's regime. Peace reigns over Alagaesia. Now, however, an old enemy emerges, one that could easily trump Alagaesia, and maybe the Riders themselves... War fic. E/A. Prologue and ch.1 posted! Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

It has been 400 years since Eragon left Alagaesia to rebuild the order of the Riders, which he did in earnest. The eggs hatched at a ferocious rate, for riders of all different races. However, for whatever reason, Eragon has not returned, nor have any of the Riders that were sent there to be trained by their mysterious leader. And now a newthreat looms, though not entirely new to some...

Eragon stood on the balcony of his room, which jutted out of the top of the towering mountain. Displayed below him was the new world he, with the help of his elven companions, had created. Buildings of a brilliant, shining, white marble dominated the entirety of the mountain. From the quarters he shared with Saphira, he could see the entirety of this new city via their 360-degree balcony, which wrapped around the top of the mountain. Though the number of buildings below him were numerous, the only inhabitants of this great city, Gedwey Istalri (Shining Star), were dragons and Riders.

Thousands of dragons dominated the sky and mountain, though only a small portion of those dragons were bonded to riders. Of Riders in full, They're numbered about 300, with about 800 still in training. The next class of Riders would not be named for another 50 years. Eragon was very thorough in his training of Riders; he wanted to make sure they would be ready for every possibility they would ever face. He wanted them to be the best and fiercest warriors in the land, but also the wisest, gentlest, and most knowledgeable.

With the allotment of different races, it was an enormous task, but he also learned much from his students, which was what he enjoyed the most. The first segment of a Rider's training was that they learn each language spoken on the island: human, Urgal, elvish, dwarvish, and even the dragons mental language of sounds, images, smells, and feelings. This greatly reduced the number of incidents that happened with the members of different races from the outset.

The most controversial rule of Eragon's was his Abolishment of Heritage rule. Once one came to Gedwey Istalri, they were to strip themselves of any allegiance to their clans, houses, or groups of any sort they had back in Alagaesia. They were now Riders, and that was all that mattered.

He didn't strip them of their race, however. Eragon obviously realized there were genetic differences in each of the four races. From an early time in their training, he had his four elders collaborate to put divide the riders into "quads" by the time they became Riders in full. A quad consisted of one Urgal rider, one elven rider, one human rider, and one dwarven rider. These were the teams that would take on missions together, depending on its magnitude. There was only one quad larger than four, and it was Eragon's own quad, which consisted of him plus his four elders; one of each race. The elders were Bolstag, a male Urgal, Dorjax, a male dwarf, Vidya, a female elf, and Murtagh, who had arrived at the home of the Riders 200 years prior. Never in the history of the new order had their been any reason for the Riders to go to war as a whole entity, but if they did, that would be the only time the Riders would be divided by race into four different battalions, each commanded by their respective elder, all falling under the supreme command of the lead Rider.

Eragon's methods turned out to be a very effective tool for uniting the Riders under a single banner, without any quarreling amongst themselves. It was quite obvious that a civil war between the Riders could never be allowed to happen again.

So Eragon and his riders have stayed in Gedwey Istalri since the end of the rebellion to overthrow Galbatorix, occasionally sending quads into Alagaesia to settle smaller matters, with Queen Arya of the elves being though only permanent Rider in Alagaesia. Though something is brewing that may require the attention of quite a bit more than a queen or even a quad…


	2. Chapter One: Doru Araeba

Chapter 1: Doru Araeba

Arya touched down lightly onto the ashen ground rider, dropping slightly to a knee. She took a quick look around, her hand loosely gripping the handle of her sword at her waist. Firnen smelled at the air, his wings tucked to his sides. They had arrived at Doru Araeba.

The Queen had for most part remained in Du Weldenvarden for the past 150 years or so, attending to the growing number of issues within the eleven kingdom. The elven race had swelled in population since the fall of Galbatorix, and Arya had to arrange to accommodate this. However, an issue had arisen in the human kingdom that required a Rider's attention, which the human king Albar insisted required immediate attention, and that there was no time to wait for a quad from Gedwey Istalri.

Gedwey Istalri, the place that Arya had never visited, only ever heard stories of, from the Riders out on mission in Alagaesia. She was so very curious to learn more about their home every time she got a chance to talk to a Rider, but never had the time to visit herself. The island was full of mystery, and little was known about the what happened there by those in Alagaesia. While Arya had heard plenty of stories about the island, the Riders never spoke of her counterpart on the island, _him_…

For 400 years, she hadn't heard a word from him; though her pride never bent to send him word anyway. The Riders she had spoken with said they see plenty of him, but he often spends years at a time in isolation in the tower, and every time he does, he comes out a different man than before. That is all she had heard of him. Arya knew she could have used his help several of times to solve issues back in Alagaesia, but it was never anything she couldn't handle on her own, and she didn't want to distract him from his work…

A tree branch snapped beneath her foot, reclaiming her attention to her current surroundings.

_Pay attention_, commented Firnen. _Quit daydreaming._

_Sorry. _Arya replied. _Just being out on a mission after all this time reminds me of what we truly are, and that reminds me of Gedwey Istalri._

_I understand, _Firnen hummed behind her. _Just be alert. We do not know what is here anymore._

The human kingdom had recently sent an exploration party onto the island, full of scholars who wished to study the island. Remembering that Eragon had seen inhabitants the last time he had been here, she had advised King Albar to send an attachment of soldiers in case someone with hostile intentions inhabited the island. She did not believe there was, but just wanted to be cautious.

Albar took her advice seriously, and sent an attachment of 1000 soldiers with them to guard them on the island. The king was an overcautious man, in Arya's opinion, and the size of the security force proved out. However, since the party took their leave to Doru Araeba, Albar had not heard a word from them; and that was three weeks ago. Albar was going to send in a force to do reconnaissance on the island to ensure that the exploration party was unharmed, but Arya told him that she and Firnen would attend to it. Firnen was beginning to get restless back in Ellesmera, and wanted a chance to get out. Arya had begrudgingly agreed.

A week later, and here they were on the ancestral home of the Riders, where Arya had always dreamed of visiting.

_I am glad that you convinced me to come, Firnen_ Arya thought. _I forgot how much I had wanted to see this place. _

Firnen blew smoke on the back of her head. _Let us go on; we have a job to do._

Returning herself to the moment, Arya strode forward through the forested terrain of the mountain, Firnen at her side. They walked for a few hours, occasionally passing an abandoned building here or there, but for the most part seeing nothing. Eventually, they came to the edge of a small cliff, which offered a view over a portion of the island that led up to the mountain that dominated its center.

_Look_, said Firnen. _Over there; do you see those hooded figures? _

Directing her attention to where Firnen was looking, Arya saw about twenty hooded figures streaming out of a tunnel in the mountain. They were moving toward an opening in the forest beyond her and Firnen's line of sight, where a streams of smoke were reaching into the sky.

_Let's go_ Arya said even while she jumped onto Firnen's back. He jumped into the sky and rocketed toward the tree line that the mysterious beings had disappeared behind.

As they finally passed over the clearing, Arya had to squint to make out what she was seeing. The hooded beings were moving from one smudge to another, sometimes clustered around the same one. _What the..._

When Firnen got close enough, she finally could make it out. The smudges on the ground were _people_. The dark shapes moved from one to another, leaving a pile of bones in their wake.

_What kind of two legged creatures have beaks? _Firnen asked curiously. He directed Arya's gaze to a beak that flashed out of one of the hoods. _I have never seen these creatures before…_

That is when it finally hit Arya. _Firnen, pull up! Ra'zac!_ She drew her sword, but it was too late. Something large and leathery pounced down upon Firnen, dragging her to the ground. Arya was thrown off, but quickly rolled to her feet, Tamerlein at the ready. The Ra'zac encircled her, leaf-like blades held in front of their faces. She could hear Firnen growling and snapping a few feet away, but could not see him. The Ra'zac began to advance on her, until a sharp click was heard behind the edge of the circle. The Ra'zac stopped, and an opening appeared in the circle in front of her. Through it a large, cloaked figure walked toward her. It was much larger than the Ra'zac around it, and moved with a grace that few elves even possessed.

Arya knew Eragon had been able to handle Ra'zac easily enough back in his youth, so she was unafraid by this single one, despite its size. She moved gracefully toward it, flowing like water, raising her sword as she had done thousands of times before.

The Ra'zac deflected her first blow with ease. Then her second. And her third. Arya came at him with a series of strikes, increasing in complexity with each moment that passed. Much to her frustration and concern, the Ra'zac consistently and effortlessly blocked her blows. _What kind of creature is this?!_

Finally, when her aggravation reached her limit, she leapt at the creature and ripped off its hood, revealing Ra'zac feathers, as she had expected, but what surprised her were their color: blood red…

The Ra'zac's red eyes seemed to gleam with a malicious joy. "Thryssssta."

Arya was hurled off her feet and thrown right back into the middle of the circle, landing flat on her back. As she gasped for air, reeling from the unexpected turn of events in the passed few minutes. First, there were still Ra'zac in existence, but one that could use magic? That was impossible!

Just as she was trying to come to grips with the current reality (though it felt more like a dream), she felt a powerful presence obliterate her mental defenses and fill her mind. Arya was even more surprised when the red Ra'zac, or at least she assumed it was the red Ra'zac, didn't even try to take control of her mind. He simply began to flit through her memories, almost casually.

His flippant attitude enraged her even further, and she was even further enraged when she finally saw Firnen out of the corner of her vision, weighed down by multiple large and leathery Letherblaka, unable to move. But overriding even her extreme anger was her fear. No one had ever handled her so easily in her entire life. The only other person she could think of with a mind so large and so powerful was Galbatorix's and she felt that this mind inside of her own was even more powerful.

"Interesssssssting," said the red Ra'zac. "Not only is sssshe a Rider, but alssssso the Queen of the Elvessss!"

Excited clicking and hissing happened throughout the entire circle. Arya could only stare helplessly as the red Ra'zac continued to rifle farther back through her memories. When he got to the war with Galbatorix, he suddenly stopped. His eyes widened, and as he progressed more slowly through those memories, his blood red eyes continued to fill with rage.

Suddenly, Arya was slammed down to the ground by an invisible force, as red Ra'zac screamed something to his fellow Ra'zac that Arya could not decipher. In his anger, the red Ra'zac had left her mind, allowing her to throw back up her defenses and bring about her sword and she dashed at one of the closest Ra'zac, straining with all of her might to best it. Try though she might, Arya could not best the single Ra'zac in the short time before the other Ra'zac pulled her away.

The other Ra'zac were already going towards their mounts. "We will bring her to the forward encampment at…!" He then said a word she could not decipher, and then another – "… will pay dearly for thisss one! Thisss will bring…!" again he said the word she could not make out. As Arya was being dragged toward a Letherblaka, a concussion of thunder rocked the sky above them. Then _something _struck the ground with such force that it knocked everyone, save the red Ra'zac, off their feet. Then a roar, no _roars_, shattered the silence that followed. Bright scaly beings, moving too fast for Arya to be able to make out, began to flit all around her, attacking the Letherblaka in earnest, as soldiers in armors of the same color began to assault the Letherblaka.

As Arya rolled to avoid one of the bright scaly beings, she miraculously stood up next to Firnen. As she briefly surveyed the battle scene, she saw a cloaked figure engaged with the red Ra'zac, driving him back at a ferocious pace.

When the red Ra'zac noticed Arya, he screeched at the five Ra'zac nearest him, who pounced on the cloaked assailant, freeing him from the mysterious attacker's onslaught.

Arya hadn't wasted time. She had grabbed her bow off of Firnen's saddle while he was grappling with a Letherblaka, and had knocked an arrow and drawn her bow by the time the red Ra'zac had won free of the attack.

Arya breathed in, and out calmly, as Evandar had taught her to do thousands of times as a child. She drew the string to her cheek and aimed.

_Breathe in._

The cloaked attacker struck at the fifth and final Ra'zac, struggling to reach the red Ra'zac, who had just turned to face Arya again. Arya felt a magical presence tug at her bow, but she had wards in place that prevented that.

_Breathe out._

"Arya, wait!" a familiar voice came out of the blue cloaked man, as the voice sounded male. But it was too late.

Arya had released the arrow, and it flew fast and true. The arrow struck the red Ra'zac right above his beak, striking him right between his bloody colored eyes. It screeched, high and terrible, then vanished.

_What…?_ Arya thought, trying to understand what had just happened. Then a pair of hands whipped her around, and she stared into a pair of eyes with the color and intensity of lightning. They were not the eyes she knew, but everything else about the face she knew, and hadn't seen in 400 years.

_Eragon._


	3. Chapter Two: The Red Raven

**His Return**.

Arya's heart almost ripped out of her chest in shock. The events of the past hour had slammed in bigger surprises than she had experienced in the past four centuries. Through her mental link, she could feel Firnen's similar feelings.

"…Eragon?..."

"Blast it, I was too late." Eragon released her shoulders, and walked away, running a hand through his hair thick brown hair. He turned to the large group of dragons and Riders that Arya hadn't even noticed "Bolstag, report."

A large Urgal, no a Kull, turned his head toward Eragon. He pulled a massive, brown hued battle axe from the beak of a Ra'zac and hung it on his back. "All of the Ra'zac are dead, Ebrithil, though no sign of the…"

"Yes, he escaped." Eragon responded, cutting Bolstag off. "What are our casualties?"

"Eragon, over here!" Another familiar voice called. Eragon walked to the source of the voice and knelt down next to a smaller looking body. Upon closer inspection, Arya saw that it was a dwarf. He had been cut almost in half, and blood stained his beard up to his face. Then, she realized with surprise, that the source of the voice was Murtagh.

"After Daxos fell, Tovor here went into a rage, and though I tried to reach him, I was too late. The Ra'zac surrounded him and gave him more attention than even _he_ could handle."

"Now is no time for your jokes, brother," Eragon responded tersely. "We must bury him in stone." Then, surprisingly, he said something to the assembled dwarves in their native tongue.

A stout, stocky dwarf slapped a hand to his chest, picked up the body of Tovor, and walked off, followed by ten other dwarven Riders.

Eragon rose to his full height and sighed, looking toward the heavens. His eyes then went blank, and Saphira uttered a slow growl from Eragon's side, and eleven of the dragons (Arya assumed they were of the dwarves that had just departed), flew off towards the body of a golden dragon a short distance away. Then Eragon snapped his fingers, and suddenly all of the slain Ra'zac and Letherblaka around them burst into flames.

Then Eragon's demeanor turned cold. "Bring forth the prisoner." He rasped with menace.

An elf and a Kull dragged forward a Ra'zac, his cloak tattered, his odd feet dragging on the ground as the Riders dragged him towards Eragon. He looked up towards Eragon with hate in his eyes.

"Where is it?" Eragon asked calmly.

The Ra'zac spat at Eragon's feet. "You cannot make me tell you, human. You don't scare me. We are the bane of your entire race!"

Eragon moved faster than the eye could see. With one hand he lifted the Ra'zac by his neck until his eyes met Eragon's. The Ra'zac gurgled as Eragon squeezed his throat.

"_I _am _your_ bane, Ra'zac." Eragon said into the Ra'zac's face, his voice full of malice. "If you think you are adept at causing fear in humans, then you will feel fear and pain from me as you have never imagined. I may even give you to Bolstag over here, if I am being nice. And he was the one who treated your friends at _Kavaras_." The Ra'zac's eyes widened with surprise and a newfound fear. Bolstag made a _ruk-ruk_ noise in his throat, which Arya interpreted as laughter.

"So you've heard of me?" Bolstag said, puffing out his chest. "Well, what _he _will do to you is far less…pleasant."

Arya looked to the blue Rider with surprise. Eragon knows how to torture people? That sweet young boy she once knew has done it before?

When the Ra'zac remained silent, Eragon closed his eyes. Then the Ra'zac began shrieking at a level that Arya had never heard before. She slammed her palms to her ears and fell to the ground. She saw Firnen keening off to the side, trying to block the noise with his wings.

As soon as it began, it was over. Eragon dropped the now lifeless body of the Ra'zac to the ground and glided over to Arya, concern etched on his features. He knelt and grabbed her hands, pulling them down from her ears. His hands were rough and calloused, but held hers tenderly. His electric, hypnotizing blue eyes softened, and then he stroked her ears, and all the pain caused from the Ra'zac's scream vanished.

"I am sorry I did that," Eragon said softly. "We all have wards that protect us from even the worst of the Ra'zac's screams. It slipped my mind that you would not have them. Please forgive me."

"It's alright…Eragon, what is going on?"

A hard look came into his features. "I will have to explain on the way. Time is of the essence."

"Eragon…"

He ignored her. He turned to the other riders and shouted with an air of command, "Mount up! We must be off. The problem is worse than we feared. You will return to the Gedwey Istalri immediately. Do not fly over Surda. Murtagh, gather the First Order immediately and bring them to Illirea. Tell Blodhgarm that the Red Raven has gathered his flock."

"And where are you going?" Murtagh replied as he mounted Thorn.

Eragon was already mounted on Saphira. "To Illirea. We must prepare the rest of the Alagaesia. We cannot keep this hidden any longer. Arya, will you accompany me?"

Without waiting for a response, Saphira was off, flying northeast toward Illirea. She jumped upon Firnen and they were off after Lead Rider.

By nightfall, they had found an encampment, and soon had a fire going. Arya was making a stew, while Eragon stood a few feet away, muttering incantations to place wards over their encampment for the evening. Firnen was behind Arya cleaning his talons, while Saphira was curled up a short distance away with her eyes closed, but Arya knew better than to think she was sleeping.

As she cooked the stew, Arya took the time to observe Eragon while he wasn't looking. She had not seen him for so long, she knew that there were some changes that were bound to have taken place, but not this much. He had been towards the end of his growth cycle when she had last seen him, yet it appeared that had just been the beginning.

He still had his brown hair, neatly kept and just reaching his ears. The same face and ears, though both now just as angular as any elf's. His size was another matter. He was broader of shoulder, and he towered over his former self. Arya was considered tall for a female, being as tall as any normal human. When Eragon had left, she had been just an inch shy of his height. Now, however, she had to tilt her head to look up into his face. He was easily five inches taller than her, maybe six. Come to think of it, he was probably one of the tallest men she had ever seen, if not the tallest. His cloak hid his mass, but she could discern that he now possessed a much higher quantity of muscle, due to the depth of his chest and the breadth of his shoulders.

Beneath his cloak, she had glimpsed a dark armor, but could discern little else. Two blades protruded from the back of his cloak, one being Brisingr, and the other, she was surprised to see, was a golden color…

_Naegling? _She wondered.

_It appears so_ said Firnen. _I wonder how he acquired it?_

A familiar presence emerged into each of her and Firnen's thoughts.

_Greetings Drotting and Firnen. Be patient; all will be explained in time._

Before either of them had a chance to reply, Eragon lowered his arms and turned to face Arya. Then, she again saw, the biggest change since she had last seen him. His eyes. What had used to be a chocolate brown, Eragon now possessed two orbs of an intense electric blue. They glowed in the darkness. _Literally _glowed. _What has happened to him?_

Eragon touched two fingers to his lips. "With the hectic nature of recent events, I haven't had the time to properly greet you, my Queen. Atra esterni ono thelduin, Arya Drotting."

Arya responded appropriately, and then said, "It is truly good to finally see you after so long, Eragon. I did not know if I ever would again."

"It is good to see you as well, though I wash our reunion was under happier circumstances. I guess I have some explaining to do." Arya nodded.

"I guess I should start from the beginning. Do you remember my account of my first visit to Doru Araeba? Do you recall the part of that narrative where I said that Saphira, Glaedr, and I witnessed a procession of hooded figures on the island?" Arya nodded. "It appears that my reason for discarding the possibility of rebuilding Doru Araeba was a mistake. Those beings were Ra'zac."

"Ra'zac!" Arya was on her feet. "How…"

Eragon eyed her calmly. "Please sit. All will be explained by the end of the tale." Arya sat down, albeit begrudgingly. She was not used to being told what to do. Then again, this was the leader of the most powerful force in the land.

"Yes, those were Ra'zac." Eragon continued. "The king did not lie when he told me had more, hidden elsewhere. Apparently after the Fall, he turned Doru Araeba into a lab for his experiments. It helps explain why there were so many odd rumors about the place. Anyway, he harbored all of the Ra'zac eggs he had gained over the years and raised them there. It wasn't until the 40 years or so that he got any of the Ra'zac to hatch. Those he made as his personal agents, and placed in Helgrind. Little did we know that they were the forefathers of their entire race as it is today."

"He raised the Ra'zac on the island for a number of years, but before he could finish, the Varden invaded the Empire, thus requiring his attention to the mainland.. No one knew of the existence of the Ra'zac, not even the Eldunarya stored in the vault of souls. He placed powerful spells to hide their them from the outset of their existence."

"As he was leaving, he decided to go ahead with his final experiment, one that had never been done before in the history of Alagaesia. He brought several spellcasters to the island, and instructed to them what to do. He wanted news of the results after he dealt with the Varden, but of course, he didn't survive that."

"What was it?" Arya asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. "What did Galbatorix instruct the spellcasters to do?"

Eragon's face took on a hard look. He looked to Saphira, then back to Arya. "They took the oldest Ra'zac, and made him a shade."

Arya stopped breathing. Before she could respond, Eragon continued, "I will finish the story, then you may ask questions. The red Ra'zac you saw yesterday was that shade. I tried to stop you from loosing your arrow, but I was too late. Anyway, he slew the magicians that created him, and then waited for the result of the war. After we defeated Galbatorix, and the rest of the Eldunarya were removed from Doru Araeba, he started to rebuild upon the bones of the old order. Over the past 400 years, his army of monsters has swelled, and he bid his time, learning and experimenting, just as Galbatorix had. Mainly on his own kind. He knew of the existence of the Eldunari, so he tried to genetically alter Letherblaka with the similar stone that exists within the Letherblaka, but with limited success. They are just a source of energy; they cannot communicate with the Heart of a Letherblaka. The red Ra'zac forces each Letherblaka to disgorge its own twisted version of the Eldunari to him. He has been amassing his strength, and is now prepared to strike at Alagaesia."

Arya's mind was spinning as she tried to absorb all of this information. Then a question nagged at her. She stopped, and turned to face Eragon.

"How long have you known about this?"

He tensed. "Arya…"

"You knew! You knew of the existence of the Ra'zac! Yet you keep that knowledge to yourselves? You had no right to keep such information from me or the other monarchs of Alagaesia! How dare…"

She was cut off as Saphira uttered a deep growl. Eragon looked at her challengingly. "I learned of their existence by doing my duty. The Riders have been protecting Alagaesia from afar. If you had scryed the land, as is your duty, then you would have learned of this menace as soon as I had. As soon as we discovered something amiss, we explored it. Blodhgarm pierced the spells that the red Ra'zac used to blind us from his sight, and we have been combating him in several skirmishes ever since. Now the problem has swelled into Alagaesia, and we are here to stop him."

Arya sat straight down, ashamed. "I am diminished." With a sense of déjà vu, she recalled when Oromis chastised her mother in a similar fashion when Eragon had first arrived in Ellesmera.

_So the wheel turns,_ said Glaedr with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Arya said, "I am sorry." Eragon waved his hand. "The only thing that matters now is stopping them. I am going to go get more firewood. I shall return shortly."

Arya was left absorbing these new revelations. She was taken back at his chastising of her; no one had dared do so since she had been a child.

_He has grown_ commented Firnen.

_That he has_ said another familiar voice.

_Master Umaroth, it is good to hear your voice again,_ said Firnen. Arya nodded her agreement. _Master, how are we to combat this creature? Will enough Eldunarya give their support to stop him?_

_Eragon should have more the strength than he requires _said Glaedr.

_Eragon? What…_

_Hush, Arya, _said Umaroth. _The Eldunarya have all pledged themselves to Eragon. He does not need ask for our strength; it is his, and only his, for he and Saphira to do with as they will._

Arya was astonished. _Why has your race come to such a decision, master?_

_Eragon has proved himself worthy of our loyalty, _Umaroth responded. _We spent many years training him, and he has shown that his moral compass will not sway. He has shown himself worthy to make our strength his, to do with as he sees fit. We do not need another Galbatorix; Eragon is the answer to people like him. We cannot squabble over who should be supported by what Eldunarya in times of crisis like this one. We are his. _

Arya's face bore a troubled expression. _But Eragon himself said that the problem was that the problem with tyrants is that they see what they are doing as right; couldn't Eragon become the same type of person, however unlikely?_

_We have safeguards against that_, said Glaedr. _Galbatorix did not allow his Eldunarya to think for themselves. After Eragon returned the sanity of each of the Eldunari under Galbatorix, he gave them their own freedom of will and thought. We then came to the decision to place ourselves under Eragon. We tried for a long time of convincing to get him to agree, and then…_

_Then what?_ Said Arya.

_It is not our place to tell you, _said Umaroth.

_Then who…_

_I can tell her_ Saphira interjected. _In the early days of the new order, Eragon and I made many missions by ourselves. We had learned of the disturbance of the Ra'zac, and had gone on missions to try to eradicate them. _

_However, one day we learned that I… that I had eggs within my womb. _Arya's eyes widened.

_Saphira, is it…_

_Let me finish_ Saphira interrupted. _When we learned that I was pregnant, Eragon learned of another disturbance by the Ra'zac. At this time we did not yet know the shade. I was due to go into labor, so Eragon went with three of the elven companions, leaving me behind._

A feeling of dread began to well up inside Arya. She did not like the sound of where this was going.

_That was the last time I saw Eragon for 5 years. A few weeks after he departed, a massive storm beleaguered our island, and we were unable to leave for months. When the storm finally cleared, we began to search for Eragon. We found the bodies of the elves, but saw no sign of Eragon. We tried to send word back, but our messengers never reached Alagaesia, and a ward, much like that of the one around Du Weldenvarden, prevented us from scrying anyone in Alagaesia. _

_We did not know what to do. There were a number of options on the table, none of them favorable. Before a decision could be reached, Thorn and Murtagh returned. And with them, was Eragon. _

_He had been captured by the shade, and tortured for years. The shade was trying to learn the secrets about the Eldunari, but Eragon wouldn't divulge any information to the Ra'zac. One day, while the shade was away, Murtagh and Thorn rescued him. Murtagh had learned of Eragon's imprisonment, and had created a disturbance away from Doru Araeba, drawing the shade's attention away from the time. It was then that he was able to rescue Eragon. _

Arya was too moved to respond. _Five years_, she thought. When Durza had captured her, she had been tortured for a few months, and that was time enough to make any normal person reach the tip of insanity. But _five years? _How could he have endured, and come out unscathed?

_He did not come out completely unscathed, Arya_ Saphira said. _You have seen his eyes, yes? _Arya nodded. _The shade is very adept at harnessing the weather_, Saphira stated. _Whenever there was a storm, he absorbed the thunder and lightning, and electrocuted Eragon relentlessly. It was his favorite method of torture, and Eragon was the only person under shade's care who could withstand it. He did it so often, that it changed the color of his eyes into what they are today. Despite Blodhgarm's attempts to remedy them, nothing worked. They have not impaired Eragon's vision, though they have never diminished since then. _

_I wonder how much his experience changed him,_ Arya thought. She was awash with anguish over Eragon being tortured. She couldn't bear to think of a shade torturing someone, but the fact that it had been done to Eragon, and for so long…. _How much has he changed? Is he still the same man?_

_I guess we will have to see_, said Firnen, as the sound of footsteps approached the camp.


	4. Chapter Three: Surda

**Hey guys! First off, I am sorry for the huge delay on the story. I was on Spring Break, and then had to do a lot of catch up work for school. I will be trying to update more regularly, however. I am going to shoot for at least once a week, if not more.**

**I gotta say that I'm surprised that this story has gotten this much attention! I never thought of myself as a good writer, I just had an idea for what happens after the end of the cycle that I wanted to try out. **

**I know a few of you have said that I have had some grammar mistakes, so if anyone wants to proofread chapters before I post them, that would be a huge help! Please keep up the reviews; they are immensely helpful in writing! And if any of you have suggestions for where you would like to see this story go, feel free to shoot me a message! I am kind of just making it up as I go along; I never thought it would get this much attention. I hope you guys enjoy Chapter 3!**

**P.S. If any of you have suggestions for a name for the Ra'zac shade, feel free to let me know! **

Chapter Three: Homecoming

Eragon walked into the camp with a great bundle of sticks and knelt near Arya and began assembling them for a fire. Without looking up from his task, he said, "I take it the dragons have brought you up to speed with what has happened over the years?"

"In part," she responded. "Do you have anything to add?"

He shook his head. "Only what I believe is about to happen. We are going to Illirea to bring them up to speed, and to prepare them for war, though hopefully we will not have a need of their armies."

Arya raised an eyebrow, but other than that kept her face impassive. "War?"

Eragon finished piling the sticks in a proper formation for a fire, then snapped his fingers. A blue blaze started in the middle of the sticks, hungrily licking at the pieces of wood around them. He went to his pack and picked out a few fruits and went to sit on the other side of the low fire. He bit into his apple, leaning back against Saphira's leg. "It is a possibility. I fear that Surda may become a problem. We are visiting Aberon before Illirea."

"Surda? Why? Though they are not the friendliest of Allies to the crown in Illirea, they are still pledged to it."

"Orrin was not satisfied with the results right after the war," Eragon replied. "As I am sure you remember, he wanted to rule. He begrudgingly ceded the crown to Nasuada, and when he learned that Teirm was granted the same rights as Surda, he was outraged. Though he did not make any public statements about it."

Arya remembered being somewhat surprised at a lack of reaction from Orrin at the time, but had not given it much thought. She had hoped that Orrin's thirst for conflict had finally abated, and then he had disappeared about 20 years after the war.

"Then he made a costly mistake," Eragon continued. "When he sent assassins to Carvahall. He was responsible for Roran's death."

"Orrin killed Roran?" She asked, stunned, though she kept the emotion from her features. "I thought it had been an accident…why?"

"It was not the first time he tried. He drunkenly tried to stab Roran before the Battle of Uru'Baen. They had disagreed upon certain battle plans, and Roran was forced to defend himself. There had been a grudge between them ever since. So, by killing Roran, a hero of the Varden in the war, and Nasuada's Earl in the North, he was able to show Nasuada his displeasure, though never admitted to his role in Roran's death. At least, not to Nasuada."

_Then who…_ Firnen began to ask.

_Eragon heard the rumor of Orrin's role soon after Roran's death, _Glaedr interjected. _That is when we paid a trip to Aberon. We felt it was our right to investigate the matter personally. So Eragon met with Orrin and his family in secret, and once he learned the truth from Orrin's mind, he… deposed Orrin from the throne of Surda. Eragon didn't remove the crown from Orrin's family, however. He passed the title on to Orrin's son. Some of us disagreed, but Eragon was, and has always been, adamant that a son is not responsible for his father's sins._

Eragon spoke up from across the fire. "Orrin was no longer fit to rule. That does not mean that his son could not."

"We were told that Orrin disappeared." Arya said.

Eragon sighed. "I was… aggrevated… at the time."

Saphira snorted loudly from behind Eragon. _Agitated is an understatement. _Eragon glared at her. _What? _She said. _He was your nest-mate, Eragon. You had every right to be upset._

Eragon looked back across the fire at Arya. "Unlike with Sloan, I then felt as if I had the right to sentence Orrin to death. I did not want to make it a public affair, however. Saphira and I took him outside of Surda, and I carried out Orrin's sentence myself."

Arya nodded. "I believe you had the right. I am sorry for your loss, Eragon. It must have been very difficult for you."

"Thank you," Eragon replied in a soft voice. "Now, however, I fear that the Eldunarya may have been right about who should have ruled in Orrin's stead. There should be more of the Ra'zac here, but there aren't. So we are going to Aberon in the morning to discover the truth from King Vidar." He stood and began to remove his bedroll from his pack. "I will take the first watch tonight. We have a long way to go in the morning."

Arya began rolling out her own bedroll, and once she was inside it, turned to Eragon. "Although I wish it was under different circumstances, I am still glad that you are back, Eragon. It has been far too long."

He turned and smiled at her, white teeth flashing in the darkness. "It is good to be home, Shadeslayer."

They started out the next day at dawn, eating breakfast in the air. Arya was amused when she looked over at Eragon and saw him tossing pieces of fruit into the air, and then Saphira would perform complex aerial maneuvers to catch them.

_They seem the same to me_ Firnen said within the privacy of her and Arya's thoughts. _Still acting like hatchlings, not the leaders of the Order. Can you imagine Vrael and Umaroth acting as these two are now?_

_No_, Arya agreed. _I do not believe they would have._

The antics of the blue rider and his dragon only added to her good humor, as she was excited to yet again be on a real adventure once more, and that it was with Eragon and Saphira. _Just like old times. _

Firnen snorted. _Not exactly little queen. I'm here this time._

She patted his neck, smiling. _Makes it even better, you big green lump._

They soon came within sight of Aberon, though at this distance she knew that human eyes would not be able to see them. Saphira and Firnen reluctantly agreed to wait out of sight of the city, so they landed and Eragon and Arya continued on foot. Eragon put his hood on, hiding his face, so that the people of the city would not flock to them as soon as they stepped through the gates. He did not want to immediately reveal his presence unless absolutely necessary, and would say he was the Queen's personal guard

At the gate, a guard stopped them and was about to inquire after them, until one of the other guards recognized Arya. "Evan, you laggard, that is Queen Arya! Forgive me your highness. Evan is new, and we were not expecting you. We will take you and your guard to the King at once. "

Arya glanced at the man impassively, taking in his clothing. "Thank you, captain. Time is of the essence."

The captain nodded, and assembled a guard of twenty troops to take them to the keep. As they walked to the keep, she glanced at Eragon, who was looking at the top of the walls.

She touched his mind, and once he granted her entrance, she asked, _What is wrong?_

_The ballistae, _he replied. _They will prevent Firnen and Saphira from coming to our aid should anything go wrong._

_Do you really think we may be in danger here?_

_Honestly, I don't know _he said.

They eventually arrived at the throne room. A page announced Arya's presence, and then the doors opened and she made her way down the long room towards the throne.

King Vidar waited on the throne, struggling to keep a calm and pleasant look upon his face. He was tall, thin, with light blonde hair upon which the crown of Surda laid. To his right was a priest in dark robes, that Arya took to be the leader of Surda's religion, which was established some time after Galbatorix's defeat. About a dozen other priests stood around the hall, as well as guards, nobles, and advisors. The priest had a haggard look to his face, and she noticed was missing two fingers. She then also noticed that King Vidar was missing his left hand, which she did not recall him losing.

"Queen Arya," Vidar stated in clear, ringing tones. "It is a pleasure to see you again. Welcome to Aberon. I would have had refreshments ready, but I was unprepared for this surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I am returning from Doru Araeba," Arya said striding forward. She and Eragon stopped before the throne. Eragon stayed about a pace behind her though, as would only seem appropriate. He kept his hood on as well. "I wanted to stop on the way back to Ellesmera. It is a long journey, but what Firnen and I discovered at Vroengard was alarming. We – " she was cut off as Eragon said, "What happened to your hand, your highness?" Eragon walked along the edge of the room, hood turning this way and that at each of the priests in the room.

Vidar's expression soured. "Who are you, guard, to interrupt your Queen so rudely, when she is conversing with another monarch in matters of state?"

"She is not my queen. I'll ask again: what happened to your hand, sire?" Now he started walking towards the throne at a slow pace, metal boots with a resounding clang upon the marble with each step he took.

"That is none of your business, boy." The king growled. "Now I would advise you to return to the queen's side so that we can – "

Eragon reached the foot of the throne, and said in a low, menacing voice "Where is your hand, Vidar?"

The sound of swords slithering out of their sheaths echoed throughout the hall. Arya placed her left hand on the pommel of her sword, eyes darting about at the guards around her. She did not doubt her ability to defeat them, but did not know what Eragon was up to.

"How dare yo – " Vidar started, but Eragon turned from him and said to the priest, "And you, priest, what happened to your fingers?"

"I do not have to explain myself to one who is not of the faith, and especially not to some low-life – " Eragon turned away before he could finish and began walking down the dais back toward Arya.

"It appears, King Vidar, that you have made the religion of your country one that I banned centuries ago." Eragon then removed his hood and turned back to face the dais.

Vidar's eyes widened in shock, and sweat appeared on his brow. The priest slowly began edging away from Eragon and Arya, muttering softly to himself. Eragon snapped his fingers, and the priest's mouth shut with a sharp _clack_ as his jaws pressed together.

"Your spells will not work on us, priest." Eragon said. "Keep your petty tricks to yourself. Now, Vidar, since your worship is focused on the Ra'zac, I assume that it has been your family that has been hiding them over the years. Where are they?"

Vidar's fear was turning into a panic. His mouth worked up and down, fighting to find the words to say, and finally said, "Kill them!"

Eragon softly muttered, "So be it." He then crouched and grabbed the hilts of Brisingr and Naegling, spinning as he unsheathed them to face the soldiers racing toward them.

Arya raised her palm and released a beam of energy at the king, which smote him on the breast, sending him and the throne flying back. She then unsheathed Tamerlein and turned to face the soldiers with Eragon.

The priest shouted, "They've killed our king! Avenge him! Avenge him!" the end of his sentence turned to a near shriek as the other priests began to assault Eragon's and Arya's minds.

Their strength was formidable, and it gave Arya pause, but Eragon appeared unfazed. He bounded towards the soldiers, cutting between them with a strength and grace he had not had before. She ran in after him, cutting and stabbing in a similar fashion.

Firnen felt the disturbance, and Arya could feel him racing towards Aberon. Eragon must have felt the same thing from Saphira, and shouted back toward Arya, "Tell them to stay away!"

"Why? We need to get out of here!"

He removed the heads of the last two soldiers with one swipe of his Naegling. "There are too many ballistae on the walls!" he shouted back. "They'll be shot down!" He and Arya then focused on defeating the priests, tearing down their defenses like a dragon tears at a deer. When Arya was about to kill the last one, Eragon said, "Wait! Find out where the Ra'zac are!" She nodded, grabbed the man's head between her hands, and began to shift through the man's memories. When she found the information, she cursed.

"Where?" Eragon said.

"The Burning Plains."

"Barzul," he said. "They most be hiding themselves with a spell. We will find out later. Right now we need to get out of Surda and get to Murtagh and the others to prepare our forces."

She nodded and sprinted towards the door, Eragon at her heals.


End file.
